


Holding It Together

by Corrie71



Series: Moonverse [4]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Kidnapping, M/M, Missing in Action
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-12
Updated: 2015-04-12
Packaged: 2018-03-22 11:19:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3726895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corrie71/pseuds/Corrie71
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Bones' medical mission goes awry, Jim has to hold it together for the kids...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Holding It Together

“You can handle the kids on your own. I’ll only be gone three days.”

Jim sat on their bed, his arms wrapped around his knees, watching Bones pace across the bedroom as he considered taking the mission to test out his latest vaccine. Bones led the team working on the vaccine to eradicate Andorian shingles for nearly two years. Six months before, they’d achieved a major breakthrough and the next step was field testing. Bones, despite having to warp through space to do it, wanted to attend the first round of field tests. 

He grinned at Jim, bouncing on his toes, his hazel eyes sparkling, reminding Jim of a kid at Christmas. His aviaphobic husband actually wanted to go on this mission. His Bones wanted to warp off to the edge of the universe to save people, because that was what Bones did, his calling, his vocation. Who was Jim to keep him from that?

“You go, Bones. Be safe.”

* * * 

The second night of Bones’ mission, Jim managed to get both kids fed and in their PJs for their planned holo-call with their daddy. He tossed the toys behind the couch and made sure that the holo-cam pointed away from the wreckage in their kitchen. He just didn’t want Bones to worry if he saw the mess. Jim had it under control.

Sort of.

The doorbell rang and Jim picked up JoJo and dashed for the door, leaving instructions for David to stay put. Surprised, he waved Spock inside. 

“We’re just about to take a holo-call from Bones…Come on in, Spock. He’d love to talk to you too.”

“Captain…” Jim looked up, meeting Spock’s brown eyes and noting his flat, thin mouth. His heart began to pound. If Spock showed emotional stress on his logical face…it couldn’t be good news. “I’ve come with distressing news. Could I speak to you privately?”

Jim quickly queued up a Thomas the Tank Engine holo-vid—a rare treat—and plopped JoJo and David in front of it. He led Spock into the kitchen, where he could keep an eye on the kids while speaking to Spock. His former First Officer eyed the marinara sauce covering the cabinets, the dirty pots covering the stove, and the wreckage of dishes in the sink but refrained from comment. 

“Captain…Jim…Doctor Kirk-McCoy’s ship…”

Jim grabbed the sauce spattered counter as the blood drained from his head and his knees liquified. “Bones…”

“They were attacked. Fired upon. Doctor McCoy is listed as missing in action.”

Jim slumped onto a barstool, his chest feeling like his ribs were collapsing because he could not suck in enough air. “What’s being done? What’s the status?”

* * *

After he managed to get the children down, blaming the lack of a holo-call on interspace interference, Jim paced their quiet, empty house. He cleaned the kitchen, scrubbing every cabinet, reorganizing drawers, cleaning out the pantry, trying not to think of Bones. Missing. 

Missing was better than dead. He paced the darkened house, lit only by silvery moonlight, lost in memories of Bones, strategizing with no information. He wandered into David’s room, watched his tiny chest rise and fall. He peeked into Joanna’s room and then sagged against the hallway wall. How could he raise the children alone? What would he do without Bones?

He pushed off the wall and started pacing again. At daybreak, he decided Bones would want him to keep things as normal for the children as possible. He hurried through the morning routine as though sleepwalking. Thankfully, Bones usually worked the early shift and so Jim usually handled the morning routine with the kids. Though David looked at him askance when Jim served him coffee instead of his usual milk, they made it through the morning. He dropped the children off at daycare and drove directly to Admiral Barnett’s office. He walked past his ensign without a word and entered the inner sanctum of the new head of Starfleet. 

“Kirk. Did we have an appointment?” Barnett tapped his long fingers on his desk, his chocolate brown eyes sorrowful.

“My husband is missing. I don’t need an appointment.” Jim strode across the room and glared into Barnett’s eyes. “I want the details and I want them now.”

“The details of Doctor Kirk-McCoy’s mission are classified.”

“I hold an all access clearance…”

“Not for this.” Barnett shook his head. “Dismissed. Given the situation, you are relieved of duty for the present.”

“You can’t do that.” Jim begged. Barnett had never liked him after the Maru but he couldn’t believe that the man would be this cruel to shut Jim out at this moment. 

“Go home, Jim.” Barnett said. “That’s an order.”

Having nothing else to do, Jim drove home, comm-ing everyone from the bridge crew he could think of. “Scotty, I need a ship.”

“That’s not as easy as it sounds, Jimbo.”

“Gather everyone willing to go on an unauthorized rescue mission and meet at my house in an hour. We’re going to go get my husband back.”

Ten minutes after Jim got home, the doorbell rang as he packed bags for the kids to stay with Spock and Nyota. He smiled at the chime of the bell. His crew…best ever. He opened the front door to see Barnett standing there. He shoved past Jim into the family room and turned back to Jim. 

“I’m not here. And I’m not telling you this.” Barnett said. “I’m doing this because I respect Leonard. Nothing’s changed between us.”

Jim nodded, knowing that whatever Barnett would say wouldn’t be good news but knowledge was better than speculation. “Every indication we have of this is that it was an inside job.”

“Why would anyone target a medical ship? What were they carrying that would have interested…”

“Not what. Who.” Jim’s eyes locked on Barnett’s face. He looked away and sighed. “We have reason to believe the entire mission was crafted to gain access to Doctor Kirk-McCoy.”

“Bones?” Rage flared through Jim, bright and hot and lethal. He tamped it down. “Who? Why?”

“Khan.”

“Khan kidnapped Bones? I thought he was frozen, in a hanger somewhere.”

“Until three months ago, he was. But he broke out, taking some of his crew with him.”

“Why didn’t Starfleet tell me this? He’s been on the loose for three months. You had to know he’d go after me…what about my kids?” 

“We’ll offer you all the protection we can…”

“But it’s not very much. What’s Khan want?”

“He hasn’t specified. I’m sending my best negotiators to the edge of the Neutral Zone.”

“Let me go. Khan knows me. He’ll negotiate with me.” Jim said, instantly.

“He won’t negotiate with anyone so far.. And you going is just what he wants. He wants you both. Leonard for his medical mind and you because…” Barnett trailed off and bit his lip again, fiddling with his hat before continuing. “Well, he considers you one of them.”

“Because of the way Bones revived me?” Jim sank to the sofa, burying his face in his hands. He’d thought knowing would be better but even in his worst nightmare, he’d never imagined Khan taking Bones. Now that he knew that, even more horrible scenarios paraded through his mind. That madman with his beloved Bones…Jim swallowed and looked up. “How do we know that Bones is…unhurt?”

“We don’t.” Barnett answered, his kind tone mitigating his blunt words. Jim still didn’t like him and probably never would but he respected him for that. “I’ve asked for proof of life but…I’ve yet to receive it. When I do…I’ll share what I can with you.”

“I cannot bear the waiting.” Jim said. “Not doing anything…”

“You have to. I am sorry, Kirk.” Barnett said. He placed his hand on Jim’s shoulder. “Jim, you have two children to care for, to think of…” Jim nodded. “I’ll be in touch when I can and see myself out.”

* * *

Within fifteen minutes of Barnett’s departure, Sulu called in, from the bridge of his ship, the ship that used to be Jim and Bones’ home, the Enterprise. “Captain, the Enterprise is setting off on a mission carrying some negotiators…a good distance. I cannot share the details…”

“I’m glad to know it’s you all.” 

“Mr. Spock and Mr. Scott happen to be able to join us aboard today.” Jim nodded, tried to smile, though he felt impotent and enraged. He and Nyota were being left behind. If it were just Jim, he’d risk everything, stow away again if he had to. He owed it to Bones to stay here, to hold their family together, for when he got home. “We’ll bring him home, Jim. Try not to worry. Enterprise out.” 

* * *

“Papa, when will Daddy be home?” David asked, that night after dinner. He looked at David’s curious face and Joanna, playing happily with her bears. With Herculean effort, he pasted on a smile for his kids. 

“Soon, Davey-boy.” Jim said and distracted him by building a pillow fort. 

Once the kids fell asleep, Jim paced the moonlit house again, feeling like a wraith himself. He flipped on Bones beloved crooners, listening to Ella sing about summertime and stars raining down on Alabama and Dean Martin croon about the moonglow. He ached for his husband. He pushed away fevered imaginings of the worst that Khan could visit on his love. He paced, in endless circles, stumbling in his bone-deep exhaustion.

When his comm went off at four am, he jumped at the sound and dashed for it. He opened it to see Sulu smiling at him. “We got him, sir.”

He shifted aside to see Bones, woozy and smiling on a medbay bed. Jim fell to his knees, gasping from the relief. Chapel’s face filled the view screen. “He’s fine, Captain. Just a little drugged up.”

Jim nodded, not yet able to speak. “We’ll be home in a few hours. Try to get some rest, Captain.” 

* * *

The next morning, he dressed David in a polo shirt and pressed slacks and Joanna in her eyelet Easter dress before heading to the shuttle port. The three of them smiled for the cameras as Jim played goofily with the kids, tossing JoJo and then David up in the air.

“Why are you so silly today, Papa?” David asked.

“Because Daddy’s coming home today.” Jim answered.

As instructed by the Starfleet PR team, the kids stood on each side of him, holding his hands when Bones walked down the shuttle ramp. When Bones was about halfway down, the kids ran to him. Bones picked them both up, raining kisses on them both. Jim was supposed to have followed the kids to greet Bones but he couldn’t move, as though rooted to the spot.

Bones hair—that silky, dark as midnight in space hair—fluttered in the breeze. He smiled at the kids, talking to them both cheerfully. He cuddled Joanna against his chest and took David’s hand, heading down the ramp toward Jim. His hazel eyes met Jim’s gaze and he grinned at him.

Seeing Bones smile at him, Jim cracked open for the whole world to see. He stood, shaking, trying to repress the sobs clawing up his chest. Nyota appeared at his side, reaching for Joanna, while Scotty led David away. Bones stopped in front of Jim. He placed his warm palm on Jim’s cheek, his thumb rubbing over his cheekbone. Jim shattered. He surged forward, burying his face in Bones’ neck, wrapping his arms around his husband and clinging, sobbing into his neck.

“I’m here, darlin.’ It’s okay.” Bones murmured to him, cradling Jim against him. The bridge crew crowded around, concealing their Captain’s breakdown as best they could. Bones rubbed slow circles over his back, rocking him slightly, until Jim could get his breathing under control and stem the tide of his tears. He leaned back to look at Bones. Their gazes met and held. Nothing more needed to be said. 

“Welcome home, Bones.”

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to WeWillSpockYou and GoWashtheLights for helping with the title.


End file.
